Key-base for side walls and ceilings.



R. D. WEAKLEY. KEY BASE FOE sum WALLS AND GBILINGS. APPLICATION FILED OUT. 11, 1911.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

SH TS-SHBET l.

R. D. WEAKLEY.

KEY BASE FOR SIDE WALLS AND GEILINGS.

APPLICATION FILED 0UT.11, 1911.

Patented Oct. 28, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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nAYMonn n. WEAKLEY, or s'r. LOUIS, mlssonm, ASSIGNOR, jay D nner AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, T0 PLASTIC PRODUCTS PORATTON 0F MISQiOURI.

' COMZPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A. GOR- knr-nasn son sins wants him cEiLms-s.

To all whom it may concern:

lBe itknown that I, lteriaonn D. Ween-a near, a citizen of the Uni-ted States, residing: at St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have;

invented new and useful improvements in Key-Bases for Side Walls and Ceilings, 04:;

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to side Wall and hereinafter described and claimed in the purposes and particularly to means tor replacing the usual wood lath and plaster and. other expensive wall organizations now? ceiling structures for buildings and other commonly used.

lln ordinary residences and buildings wood 1 laths are applied to the side wall studding and ceiling rafters to form akey base for the plaster usually composed of liine sandand a bonding material, such as hair or fiber. Owing to the enpensiveness of lime,;

lime plasters have been largely replaced by Portland and other analogous cements at a, materially less cost, but it has been found impracticable to apply these cements to wood laths in view of the porous condition of the laths and their tendency to readily absorb 1 water and the quick hardening characteris--;

tic of Portland cement plaster which would result in buckling the wood lath and a destruction of the cement by reason of thelath pushing through the latter. There is also a great waste'of the ordinary plaster when applied to a wood lath covering.

The object of this invention is to provide an economical covering or key base for side walls and ce1l1ngs of buildings to which cement plasters or reinforced concrete constructions may be directly applied and :pos-itively held with firmness at a materially less cost than the wood lath coverings and usual lime plaster compositions, and with this object in. view thev invention essentially consists in the use of corrugated paper which is rendered water-proof by any suitable means and capable of being quickly applied to studding and rafters and having plaster holding or key accessories forming a part thereof.

The invention further consists of a corrugated sheetin or covering of any desirable Width who reinforcing means in one direction com specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed-hotelier .11, will,

rein the corrugations form latengted @ct. a8. 1913.. {Serial N 0. 0;540d1.

means at an utter and the preferred form.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of a portion of a wall embodyi ing the improved covering or key base and showing cement plaster partially applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail side elevation of a portion of the covering or key base. Fig. 3 is a detail cross-sectional view of a portion of a wall embodying the features of the invention- Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vertical section through a part at a ceiling structure and showing the covering or key base in double form for use on extensive areas wherein the rafters or analogous devices are spaced a greater distance than in the ceilings oil residence buildings of ordinary construction to provide a stronger support for the greater weight of cement plaster applied to such ceilings of increased area. Fig. 5 is a detail section taken in the plane of the line 5-5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a detail section taken in the plane of the line (i p, Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a detail horizontal section of a partition structure wherein metal studs or uprights are used and showing the improved covering or key base and cement plaster applied thereto. Fig. 8 is a detail cement plasterembodying the same principle of the invention. Fig. 9 is a transverse line 99, Fig. 8.

The numeral 5 designates a corrugated sheet which is preferably formed of paper or paper composition and comprising a backing 6 as a part thereof, as clearly shown by Fig. 3. Thecorrugated paper as a whole is of that character well known in the market or already prepared and used for packing purposes and in making boxes or other receptacles and is freely flexible so that it may be easily rolled and unrolled without vertical section taken in the plane of the elevation of a wall covering or key base of y affecting the form or misshaping the corrugations. lnstead of the corrugated paper as just explained, tar paper may be used and suitably corrugated by running the same through or between fluted rollers. Both kinds of paper are comparatively inexpensive, but that first described embodying the backing 6 will be more largely used in carrying out the invention and will be rendered water-proof by applying thereto or saturating the same with any suitable water-proofing compound or material, such for instance as paraifin, and in some instances a preservative or protective composition may be applied to this paper if desired, or the paper may be otherwise treated to render it' more serviceable and efiective in performing its desired function in accordance with the features of this invention.

After the paper has been preliminarily treated or rendered water-proof a plurality of wires 7 is applied thereover by any suitable means and secured, the wires as shown extending across the corrugations in planes at right angles to the latter and spaced at regular predetermined intervals, the said wires bridging the valleys between the convex portions of the corrugations, as shown by Fig. 3. These wires may be of any preferred material and gage and as one simple means of securing the same to the corrugated paper a number of finer wire loops 8 are threaded through the paper and twisted or connected against the wires 7 with the free ends projecting as at 9 to provide small keys, When the covering or key base in sheet form has been completed as just explained it is ready for use.

The invention embodying the covering or key base is not limited in its scope to any precise dimensions of the paper and wire, it being understood that the dimensions may be varied at will to meet various structural contingencies and accommodate different applications. For all practical purposes, however, or for general usage it is proposed to have the corrugated paper manufactured in sheets about thirty-two inches wide and several hundred feet in length and the wire used will be what is known as No. 18 steel wire with the loops 8 applied t-hereover approximately every three inches on center. The covering .or key base will be delivered in the market in rolls ready for application and in view of the preferred width as just specified it will cover three studs or rafters or extend from the centers of the outer studs or rafters of each set of three rafters or studs, the latter being usually sixteen inches apart on center.

lln applying the covering or key base to studs or rafters the one end of the sheet is secured to the floor plate or the ceiling beam or plate, as the case may be, and gradually secured by driving staples or analogous fastenings 10 over the wires '7 into the studs or rafters 11, the said staples or fastenings being driven at regular intervals between the wire loops 8. At points where the studs or rafters are provided with connecting bridge strips or reinforces, similar fastenings 10 are also driven over the wires 7 and through the corrugated paper into the said strips or reinforces. The wires 7 are secured at their ends, as for instance by bending the same around suitable headed fastenings l2 driven into the adjacent wood structure. \V here the side edges of the corrugated paper sheets are joined, an overlap may be made in view of the similar construction of the corrugations, and it will be observed that at the joint two of the wires 7 are closely disposed, and when the fastening devices 10 are applied at the joints over the contiguous wires 7, a very strong securement will result with material advantages in maintaining the covering or key base in applied position and in resisting the weight strain of the cement plaster applied theret It will be seen that owing to the width of the corrugated covering or key base a large area may be very quickly sheathed therewith, and as the cost of the improved covering or key base is very materially less than the cheapest plaster holding means now used for a similar purpose, the cost of construction of certain classes of residences or buildings will be correspondingly reduced without in the least impairing the necessary support for the plaster covering of walls and ceilings. ln fact the improved covering or key base as herein disclosed has been found by practical test to be very much superior as a cement plaster holding means as compared to the ordinary lath key base and other structures for a similar purpose. as the improved covering or key base is imperforate, the cement plaster will not be wasted by pushing through the same and falling within the wall or between the opposite coverings of av wall,

is the case where a lath key base is employed.

In applying the improved covering or key base to walls or ceilings having an extensive area and provided with rafters, for instance, spaced apart a considerable distance greater than in the ordinary ceiling and floor structures, the covering or sheathing is correspondingly reinforced 'or slightly modified to sustain the greater weight of the cement plaster applied thereto, such reinforcement or modification consisting in using two thicknesses of corrugated paper of a structure similar to that disclosed by Figs, 1, 2 and 3 and embodying corrugated layers 13 and backings it held int/ares in associated relation by Wire loops 8 similar to those heretofore described which serve as fastening means for reinforce wires 7 also extending across the corrugations of the outer layer of paper, in all respects similar to the organization hereinbefore described. This reinforced form of the covering or key base is applied in the same manner as in the organization shown by Figs. 1, 2 and 3 by means of staples or fastenings 15 similar to the fastenings 10 heretofore described. This double or modified form of the covering or key base obviously has more rigidity and body strength than the single thickness of paper, and it will be seen that the backing of the outei layer is held against the corrugations of the inner or base layer.

Fig. 7 shows the invention applied to that form of partition or separating wall that is frequently used in buildings where either upright or horizontally disposed 1 beams 16 are used instead of the usual studs, for instance, and to opposite heads of these beams the improved covering or key base is applied to receive the plaster for the purpose of producing an intermediate partition wall at points where the studding is lacking. The two coverings or sheathings applied to the I beams 16 are held firmly in applied position by a wire 17 which is threaded through the two coverings or Shea-things at intervals and extended along the opposite sides of each beam and terminally secured in a manner similar to the loops 8 hereinbefore specified. The wire 17 is given a rigid attachment to the coverings or sheathings by being carried closely over and in contact with contiguous wires 7 extending across the corrugations 5 and adjacent to the side edges of the sheets.

The wall or ceiling in either of the forms above set forth is completed by applying thereto a cement plastercovering or coating 18 which is pressed into the-valleys of the corrugations and under the wires 7 or between the latter and the portionsof the valleys which they cross and also over the free ends of the wire loops 8 providing the smaller keys. The cement plaster fully incloses all parts of the improved covering or key base and will be firmly and reliably held by reason of the formation of the corrugations and the relative positions of the wires 7 and 8, and though the paper should break in the course of time the plaster covering will still be firmly held by the wires. The corrugated paper has a tendency to cause the corrugations to lean to one side or in one direction and it is therefore better to have the covering or key base applied to a side wall with the corrugations pointing upwardly instead of downwardly so as to form a stronger and more positive supporting means for the plaster. The cement plaster is applied over the covering or sheathing in the same manner as ordinary lime plaster and is generall about onequarter of an inch thick an within four or five hours this plaster becomes thoroughly set and presents a strong solid, stony surface to receive the second and third coats of plaster. It will be observed that the wires 7 all run parallel to the studding and ceiling rafters and those wires which are securely fastened to the studding or rafters create a bond between the latter and the wires running thereover so that when the plaster is applied it will be almost impossible to separate the plaster panels from the studding or ceiling rafters without first breaking the wires or pulling out the fastening means engaging the same and the studding and rafters. Tn other words, the wall or ceilin when completed will be practically in estructible and if the plaster becomes broken by more than ordinary stress imposed thereon the steel Wires will hold the plaster together and the break can be easily replastered. By means of the structure hereinbefore described a fire-proof plaster is produced at a comparatively small expense and of a very durable nature.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that the underlying principle of the invention is the production of a key base for holding a plaster covering or coating of a wall or ceiling, and this key base may be formed of paper with corrugations and wires intersecting the corrugations, or,

as shown by Figs. 8 and 9, the corrugations may be formed in a plaster or cement plaster covering or key base- 19 by any suitable means, and having wires 20, similar to the wires 7 heretofore described, intersecting and held by the plaster or cement corrugations and crossing the valleys between the convex portions of said corrugations to provide keys to engage and hold the outer coating or cover 21 of plaster or other analogous material applied over the corrugated surface, as shown by Fig. 9. This latter construction embodies the simplified form of the invention and will be used in many wall and ceiling structures.

What is claimed is:

1. A covering or key base for walls and ceilings, consisting of an imperforate flat sheet having a corrugated sheet firmly secure-d thereon and having its corrugations exteriorly exposed, the united sheets being flexible, and wires extending across and secured against the outer portions of the exteriorly exposed corrugations oi the corrugated sheet at intervals to form key ways with the said corrugations by bridging the valleysbetween the latter, the securemeri t of the sheet and corrugated sheet relatively 1 to each other being independent of the wires extending over the corrugated sheet.

2. A covering or key base for walls and ceilings, consisting of two flexible pieces of waterproof material secured to each other and having air spaces formed between them, the one piece being corrugated and having its corrugations exteriorly exposed, and wires extending across and fixed against said exterior corrugations of the corrugated piece and forming key means with relation to the corrugations of the latter piece, the flexible pieces of material being continuous and having the wires extending thereover solely in a longitudinal direction.

8. A covering or key base for walls and ceilings, consisting of a flexible sheet of corrugated material composed of an imperferate flat backing sheet for securement against a support and a front corrugated sheet fixed to the backing sheet, the corrugated sheet having the corrugations thereof exteriorly exposed and individual strands or key Wires extending at an angle over and secured against the outer portions of the corrugations of the said corrugated sheet and bridging the valleys between the said corrugations, the key wires being secured at intervals to the flexible sheet throughout the length of the latter and primarily fixed to the sheet before the said sheet is applied to a wall or ceiling to serve solely as key means and not as fastening means for the sheet relatively to the support against which-the sheet is applied.

a. A covering or key base for walls and ceilings, consisting of a flat imperforate backing sheet and a front corrugated sheet secured thereto and of a waterproof character, the sheets having elongated air spaces formed between them, the corrugations of the corrugated sheet being exteriorly exposed, and key strands extending over and secured against the outer portions of the said corrugations at an angle to the latter and to the air spaces and having means engaging the same throughout their length to maintain them at fixed distances apart, the key strands being independent of the securing means of the sheets relatively to each other and of the means for securing the sheet against the support, the said strands being flexible and secured to the double sheet prior to the application of the latter to a wall or ceiling. 1

5. A covering or key base for walls and ceilings, consisting of a strip of flexible material having two members primarily secured to each other, one member being corrugated and having its corrugations exteriorly exposed, and key wires fixed against the outer portions of said corrugations and carried by the strip, the member having corrugations being the face member and the other memher the backing for application to a support, the said key members running longitudinally of the strip at an angle to the corrugations and maintained at fixed distances apart, the key wires being independent of the securing means for the strip relatively to the support and also of the means for securing the one member to the other.

6. A key base for walls and ceilings, consisting of flexible imperforate material comprising a flat backing sheet and a front corrugated sheet secured to the backing sheet the corrugated sheet having its corrugations exteriorly exposed, and flexible wires angularly intersecting and fixed to the material against the outer portion of the corrugations of the corrugated sheet in bridging relation to the valleys between the said corrugations, the wires being maintained at fixed distances apart and secured at intervals throughout their length to the corrugated sheet at their points of intersection with the corrugations.

7. A covering or key base for walls and ceilings, consisting of an imperforate piece of corrugated material comprising a flat backing sheet and a front corrugated sheet secured thereto, flexible wires fixed to the piece and engaging the corrugations and disposed at an angle to the latter, a supporting structure against which the backing sheet part of the piece of material is secured and the outer corrugated sheet exposed for receiving a plaster coating, securing means for the material and fastening devices applied over the wires in addition to the securing means of the latter relatively to the piece of material and driven into various parts of the supporting structure.

8. A covering or key base for walls and ceilings, consisting of an imperforate piece of corrugated material comprising a flat backing sheet and a front corrugated sheet secured thereto, flexible wires applied to the piece and engaging the corrugations and disposed at an. angle to the latter, the wires forming key means with the corrugations, fastening devices applied to the wires at intervals and secured to the piece of material to hold the wires in place on the material, a supporting structure, securing means for attaching the piece of material and the wires to the supporting structure, and fastening devices applied over the wires at intervals and driven into various parts of the supporting structure, the ends of the devices for fastening the wires to the piece of material being exposed and shaped to form additional key means.

9. As an improved article of manufacture, a key base for a plaster covering consisting of a flexible sheet of material embodying an imperforate flat backing lamina and a corrugated lamina secured thereon to form air spaces between the laminae and to provide an outer exposed plaster receiving corru- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set gated surface and wires disposed at an angle my hand in presence of two subscribing Wit- 10 and. secured in fixed spaced relation to the nesses.

outer portions of the corrugations and held RAYMOND WEAKLEY mtact with the sheet at all times, the sheet being adapted to be rolled and unrolled Witnesses: without disorganizing the Wires and cor- CHAS. S. HYER, rugations. FUR. KEEFER. 

